The Story of George Schreiner & Julia Haag
Although George only lived in Pierce County for less than one and a half years, his descendants have lived here for over 90 years.
George Schreiner was born in Edesheim Germany as Georgius Schreiner on January 14th, 1844. He was the son of Michaelis Schreiner and Catharinae Schwab. George was Christened two days later at the Catholic church in Edesheim, Rheinland-Pfalz province. George had at least four brothers and one sister.
At that time, the population of the United States was about 19 million people. John Tyler was President of the U.S., Oliver W. Holmes was 3 years old and Mark Twain would celebrate his 9th birthday.
Julia Haag was born in the province of Bavaria, Germany on the 21st of January in 1852. George had just turned 8 years old. Julia traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana with her parents, Nicholas Haag and wife Louise Mathes. They immigrated to New Orleans in 1854
George came to the United States via New Orleans in 1856 with his parents, Michael and Catherine (Schwab) Schreiner and his siblings.
George is listed in the New Orleans Directory in 1861. The directory was not published during the civil war, however, in 1866 he is still listed at the same address. In the 1868 directory he is listed as a wood dealer.
Julia Haag and George Schreiner were married on February 3rd, 1870. At this time, Nebraska was just starting it's third year as a state; and the first transcontinental railroad had just been completed (1869). Charles Dickens died that year, (1870), and the population of the U.S. was 39,818,449.
Their first child, Julia Johanna Schreiner was born October 30th, 1870 in New Orleans. In the 1871 directory George is listed as a butcher, the occupation told to me by my grandmother, Marie (Miller) Schreiner, wife of Irvin Theodore Schreiner.
Their second child, Frank Schreiner was born on August 17th, 1872. In the 1872 directory, George is listed as a partner with his brother-in-law, Jacob Haag. This listing continued through 1874.
On April 21st, 1874, their third child, Philip Schreiner was born in New Orleans. This is the same year that George & Julia moved to Illinois. It is assumed that they followed the Missippi river up to the Illinois river which took them to Peru. This same year, Winston Churchill would be born and barbed wire would be invented. Ulysses S. Grant was President of the United States (1869-1877).
On January 10th, 1876, their fourth child, George L. Schreiner was born. Their fifth child, Caroline E. Schreiner was born July 28th 1877.and their sixth child, Edward Schreiner was born March 30th, 1879.
From 1876 to 1885, seven children were born to George and Julia. Of these seven children, five of them died between six days and 8 years of age.
In 1886, George and Julia moved from Illinois to Otoe County Nebraska. They were listed in the 1900 census showing that six of the nine living children were at home.
In March of 1903, George and Julia moved to Pierce County to a farm called the "Nutt farm", having been patented by Albert Nutt in 1892. Mathew Inhelder bought the land in 1894 and the location is shown on the 1899 map of Willow Creek. Fourteen months later, George died of heart failure. His obituary is listed below.
OBITUARY FOR GEORGE SCHREINER
"George Schreiner, living on the old Nutt farm, northwest of town, died very suddenly about six o'clock Thursday morning, June 2, 1904, due from heart failure. He awoke and said to his wife he ought to be getting up, as was his custom to arise first and call the boys. He then turned over making a gurgling noise, his wife supposing he had fallen asleep again, spoke to him but he was dead.
He was in good health having never been sick, and the day previous was all over the place looking at the growing crops. The deceased was born in Adasheim (correct spelling is Edesheim), Germany, Jan. 14, 1844. He Came to America with his parents, who settled at New Orleans, La., in 1856.
He was united in marriage in 1870 to Julia Haag of the same place. In 1874 he and his family moved to Peru, Ill., where they remained until 1886 when they came to Otoe Co., Neb., near Burr, remaining there until a year ago last March when they moved to their present location in Pierce Co. Unto their union fourteen children were born of which nine still survive, five sons and four daughters. Two daughters are at home and the other two boys are farming in the vicinity. A wife, nine children, four brothers and one sister, who were all present at the funeral, are left to mourn the untimely death of a husband, father and brother. Short services were held at the house at 11 o'clock a.m., Saturday, June 4, after which funeral services were held at the German church in Pierce at 2 o'clock, conducted by the pastor, Rev. A. Bahr. The remains were laid to rest in the Prospect View cemetery.
Pen cannot express the heartfelt sympathy which is extended to this sorrowing wife and children who were so suddenly, without a moments notice, bereaved of a husband and father.
We can only say in the words of the poet-
Be still, sad hearts' and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Yours is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall..
Some days be dark and dreary."
Note: George was originally buried at Prospect View cemetery, but when Julia died, she asked that he be buried beside here. Apparently this took some effort with the Catholic church and several of his sons did the work, Gus & Irvin.
Although George had left the Catholic Church for some reason, Julia remained a very faithful Catholic. She was a charter member of the St. Joseph "Altar Society and Christian Mothers".
OBITUARY FOR JULIA SCHREINER
"Mrs. Julia Schreiner, mother of Philip and Mrs. Chas. Weber, living at Pierce, died Sunday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Thos. Lingenfelter, living near Plainview, of paralysis. The remains were brought to Pierce Monday evening.
Julia Haag Schreiner was born in the province of Bavaria, Germany on January 21, 1852, and died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Thos. Lingenfelter, near Plainview on June 25, 1922 at the age of 70 years, 5 months and 4 days.
Three years ago last February she suffered a stroke of paralysis from which she never fully recovered. Since that time she has made her home with her son Philip, and daughters, Mesdames Chas. Weber and Thos. Lingenfelter.
Mrs. Schreiner came to New Orleans, Louisiana, with her parents, when a girl. Here she grew to young womanhood and was united in marriage to Geo Schreiner in 1870. Here they lived until 1874 when they moved to Peru County, Illinois. They came to Otoe county, Nebraska in 1886 and resided there until 1903 when they moved to Pierce county.
To this union were born 14 children - 8 of whom survive- 5 dying in infancy. One daughter, Mrs. Fred Ross, passed away in 1913.
The husband passed away near Pierce on June 2nd, 1904.
The deceased was a devout member of the Catholic church and lived her religion every day.
She was indeed a patient sufferer and although apparently the same as usual she passed peacefully away Sunday forenoon- due to a hemorrhage of the heart.
Those left to mourn the passing away of a beloved mother are Mrs. Julia Holcher of Burr, Frank of Battle Creek, John, of Norfolk, Mrs. Louis Lingenfelter, of Plainview and Philip, Gustav, Irvin and Mrs. Dorothy Weber of Pierce.
Funeral services were held at St. Joseph's Catholic church Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Theo Mester. Burial was had in the Catholic cemetery southwest of town. The pall bearers were-taken from the ladies organization of the church and were as follows: Mesdames Florian Widhalm, Pete Hahn, Joe Hoffman, Frank Nave, Carl Hoffman and Chas Maximen."
They are both buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery southwest of Pierce.